Even when the car's tires skidded to a stop outside my apartment building, my mind continued to race. The bombshell that Jay Sinclair had just dropped had destroyed all pretense of routine in my life. A union based on contract? It was nonsensical. However, as I cast a sidelong glance at him, his expression serene, I couldn't help but feel the oppressive weight of my reality.
Ethan had betrayed my affection and my confidence. My life was disintegrating. For some strange reason, Jay Sinclair had entered my life and promised me a way out, but at what price? I clenched my fingers around the passenger door handle, my knuckles becoming white from strain. I was breathing. I needed air. I pushed the door wide and whispered to myself, "I need to go." Jay remained motionless, observing my every move as I got out of the car with his eyes. The weight in his emotionless, calm voice, "I'll give you time to think, Arielle," shot a shiver down my spine. "Don't take too long, though. The timer is running out." His words struck me like cold steel, and I froze for a second. Then, without saying a word, I slammed the door and ran, my heels tapping loudly on the concrete, toward my apartment building. I felt as though I was falling farther and deeper into a hole from which I would never be able to emerge with every step. I stumbled into my flat and fell onto the couch, rubbing my face with quivering hands. This was not taking place. This was not possible. I tried to take in everything that had happened in the moment as I stared blankly at the ceiling. Sinclair Jay. Ethan. The suggestion. a union under contract. I was abruptly brought back to the present moment as my phone buzzed on the table next to me. It took me a moment to decide to pick it up. My landlord had sent me a note to remind me that rent was due in two days. Another financial hit that caught me off guard. My stomach became constricted. Even with its twist, Jay's offer dangled before me like a lifeline as I was about to sink. However, was I truly prepared to sell my soul in order to escape this situation? Doubt and worry were raging in my head like a wild storm. With a start, I got up and started walking around my tiny living room. "Reflect, Arielle. Consider." However, my mind kept returning to the same grim truth—Jay was correct. I had to make a decision. I had nothing left by Ethan, and I was at a loss for what to do. My phone suddenly buzzed once again. It wasn't my landlord this time. It was Jay. I don't even know how this man got my number. My subconscious was shouting in my head. To what extent did he know me?.. —Time’s running out. I read. My chest throbbed with my heartbeat. How could he have known how to effortlessly get under my skin? I chewed my lip while focusing on the display. I was unsure whether to answer, so my fingers were lingering over the keyboard. My phone rang before I could decide, though. I looked at the caller ID, startled. It was my mother, not Jay. I moaned gently, and when I answered the phone, my palm trembled a little. "Hi, Mom." My mother said, "Arielle, darling," in a kind but heated tone. "I've been attempting to get in touch with you all day. I've been informed of Ethan's situation." I closed my eyes tightly. My mother had already heard, of course. In their social circles, rumors spread quickly, so my split with Ethan wasn't simply a private tragedy—it was also widely reported. "Yes, Mom, that is true," I murmured in a hushed tone. "Oh, sweetheart," my mom murmured. "You ought to return home. Together, we can work things out. There are many wealthy guys who would give their lives to be with you, so you don't have to go through this alone." My jaw tightened. Returning home meant dealing with even more sympathy and criticism, and eventually the pressure to pursue a new relationship with a wealthy businessman became intolerable. My mother's acquaintances were already murmuring among themselves about how I had failed to guarantee my future with the wealthy Ethan. "I’ll think about it, Mom," I muttered, not committing to anything. My mother's voice came back into the conversation after a short silence on the other end. "Remember this, Arielle. Even yet, don't allow someone use your kindness because you deserve better than to be abandoned and impoverished in this way." Long after the call was over, I kept thinking about what my mother had said. Keep your kindness untapped and don't let anyone use it. That was just what Jay Sinclair was doing, wasn't it? Providing an escape route for me, but with conditions? Gazing out of the window at the city below, I stood there. While life continued around me and the lights flickered in the distance, I felt as though nothing was moving in my world. I didn't know what to do. The soft beep of my phone distracted me from my thoughts once more. Another communication from Jay. — Tomorrow night at 7 p.m., I'll be having supper at the Saint Claire Hotel. When you're prepared to decide, show up... As I read the message, my heart pounded in my chest. It seemed as though he could sense my struggle and uncertainty. I gazed at the text on the computer while doubts raced through my head. Am I Really Able to Do This? Is it possible for me to enter into a contractual marriage with Jay Sinclair so quickly?. I pondered over Ethan's treachery, the way he had destroyed my heart and left me holding just shards of glass. I considered the rent I was no longer able to pay and the increasingly bleak future. I considered Jay's proposition, which was alluring, risky, and rife with uncertainty. My decision was like a weight on my chest, choking me. With shaking hands, I collapsed onto the couch. Tomorrow, I would have to choose whether or not to make A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL tomorrow. One thing was clear to me as I sat there, staring at my phone's flickering cursor: no matter what decision I took, my life would never be the same.I felt unprepared for the situation as I stood in front of my wardrobe, staring at the rows of clothes. How was one to dress for a meeting that had the potential to alter our whole life? Already, I had thrown half of my clothes onto the bed, and nothing fit. I ran my fingertips over a sleek black dress that hung toward the back. It was an understated, stylish outfit that I'd worn to formal occasions with Ethan. The memory turned my stomach. It wasn't about him tonight. Our history was unimportant. It had to do with the man who was holding out for me at the Saint Claire Hotel and my future. Jay Sinclair. I felt my heart race thinking about him. Ever since our first meeting, his dark, secretive eyes have followed me around. He had an alluring quality that made me wonder if I was getting into a good deal or falling victim to a scam. The breakup, Ethan, Jay Sinclair's offer—everything happened so quickly, and it all made no sense. I shook my head, pushing away the nagging misgi
JAY SINCLAIR'S POV I was standing in front of my penthouse office's tall glass windows, staring out over the vast city that extended beyond. Though the world below was bustling with life, and the lights from the skyscrapers twinkled like stars, my thoughts were far away from it all. With the Sinclair name being associated with riches, power, and influence, my empire was booming. However, when I looked out at the city, I didn't care about any of it right now. There was just one thing on my mind: Arielle. That night, I watched her from a distance rather than expecting to run into her. She had seemed almost too perfect, sitting helplessly next to her wrecked car, had been almost flawless. She held the secret to the carefully thought out plan I had created, one that would fulfill my desire for revenges as well as my commercial interests. I tightened my hands behind my back, remembering the term I detested the most. Ethan. A snarl curved my lips. The individual who had betrayed me yea
My heart pounded with a mix of relief and fear as I left Jay's office. The signed contract, which would change my life completely, weighed down on me like a shroud. As I stepped down the marble steps, the cool evening air struck my skin and the door clicked shut behind me. A beautiful black automobile was waiting for me by the curb, just as Jay had promised. With a gesture of recognition, the driver got out and opened the rear door for me. I paused, letting my gaze stray up to the tall structure behind me. I now understood what I had just consented to for the first time: a marriage in name only, but one that was far more nuanced on the inside. I slid into the car with a deep breath. My phone buzzed in my purse as the car left Jay's office. When I pulled it out, I discovered a text message from Evelyn, my mother. —We must speak. I scowled. Especially with the urgency I sensed in those four simple words, my mother rarely made contact. But I really didn't want another headache aft
With the ice melting, I gazed into the bottom of my nearly empty bourbon glass. I looked up from my glass to the window a little distance away, watching as the sun set beyond the bar. I felt so alone in my self-pity, watching life move on around me with only the faint clinking of glasses and soft chattering of voices. My life's worst day had been that one. Ethan, my fiancee— ex-fiancee, had betrayed me in the most heinous way. Memories of him with his secretary smoldering in the background, The man I'd been in love with for three years, the man I had imagined spending the rest of my life with, his tongue fighting another woman, his lies disentangled like a thread I had failed to pull sooner. I was hurt and broken like never before, I felt a sting of tears threatening to fall again but blinked them away, resolving not to cry anymore. Not for him. Not here. I felt uncomfortable; I'd adjust to my seat severally; it did nothing but make me comfortable, or maybe it was just the burde
I sat firmly in the passenger seat, my heart pounding more quickly than the engine's faint hum. Jay, the Billionaire, had offered to give me a ride. His name alone seemed to draw attention and power. It was astounding to consider that I never would have envisaged myself on this day, much less sharing a seat with him. My night had taken an unusual turn, and I noticed him out of the corner of my eye. Even though the city lights were blurring as we went by, the tension in the car was unmistakable. Jay exuded mystery partly because of his sharp features and calm manner. My mind was racing with everything that had transpired that day, including the heartache and Ethan's adultery. Why would someone like Jay Sinclair stop to help me?I couldn't get the feeling that everything in his universe had a reason, thus nothing was adding up. "Why did you stop?" I finally broke the silence, but my voice sounded forced. While his gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, I observed his fingers beco